The Elephant Man Page #7

SMALL ROOM - LONDON HOSPITAL

We see two cameras set up, their OPERATORS next to them

staring at something we cannot see. Treves stands beside

them concentrating on the same sight.

All three are speechless.

Treves suddenly remembers himself.

TREVES:

Are you ready?

The Cameramen mumble, "Yes", and gratefully disappear beneath

the black cloths of their cameras.

TREVES:

Go ahead.

They trigger the flash powder. In the blinding flashes we

briefly see the silhouette of a tremendously bulky figure,

starting at the light.

DISSOLVE TO LECTURE HALL - PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON

BRIGHT LIGHT:

As we pull back and down in a slow spiral we see the light

is coming through high windows. We now see several rows of

distinguished doctors talking to each other in anticipation.

As we continue to spiral down we see Treves before them at a

podium. Behind him are two ASSISTANTS standing beside a

curtained stall. Treves raps a pointer stick on the podium

to bring the meeting to order. We move behind the stall as

the Assistants part the curtains and we see the silhouette

of the Elephant Man. The doctors talk among themselves

quietly.

TREVES:

He is English, he is twenty-one years

of age and his name is John Merrick.

Gentlemen, in the course of my

profession I have come upon lamentable

deformities of the face due to injury

or disease, as well as mutilations

and contortions of the body, depending

upon like causes; but, at no time

have I met with such a dreaded or

perverted version of a human being

as this man. I wish to draw your

attention to the insidious conditions

affecting this patient. Note, if you

will, the extreme enlargement of the

skull... and upper limb, which is

totally useless. The alarming

curvature of the spine... Turn him,

please... the looseness of the skin,

and the varying fibrous tumors that

cover 90% of the body.

Treves' voice fades as we DISSOLVE TO the Doctors, who at

first were rigid and flustered, and now bent forward,

concentrating, obviously consumed with interest.

Spiraling down again we see Treves finishing his lecture.

TREVES:

...And there is every indication

that these afflictions have been in

existence, and have progressed

rapidly, since birth. The Patient

also suffers from chronic bronchitis.

As an interesting side-note, in spite

of the afore-mentioned anomalies,

the patient's genitals remain entirely

intact and unaffected.

Treves nods to the Assistants and they go to the Elephant

Man. We see them in shadow untying the loose knot of the

loin cloth.

CLOSE-UP of the shadow of the head of the Elephant Man. It

goes up for a breath.

TREVES:

So then, gentlemen, owing to this

series of deformities: The congenital

exostoses of the skull; extensive

papillomatous growths and large

pendulous masses in connection with

the skin; the great enlargement of

the right upper limb, involving all

the bones; the massive distortion of

the head and the extensive areas

covered by papillomatous growth, the

patient has been called, "The Elephant

Man."

TREVES OFFICE:

The Elephant Man (hereafter the E.M.) wearing his cloak, is

seated by the desk. Treves stands behind him, measuring his

head with calipers. He removes the calipers and notes the

span, then sets them on the desk. He places the hood over

the E.M.'s head. Treves sits at his desk and makes some final

notes. He becomes more absorbed in his notes than in the

E.M. The E.M. makes an unintelligible sound.

TREVES:

Hmm?

The E.M. is silent. Treves, only now realizing that the E.M.

has said something, looks up at him.

TREVES:

Hmm?

The E.M. is silent. Treves passes it off as a sigh and turns

back to his work.

TREVES:

It's been a long day for everyone.

He closes his notebook and rises. He remembers something.

TREVES:

Oh, yes, you'll need a cab...

(to the E.M.)

Stay.

He exits. The E.M. is alone. He rises and shuffles slowly

about, investigating the room. He goes to the desk and begins

touching things, including the calipers. He notices the card

Treves gave to the Owner tucked in the back pages. He pauses

for a moment and then takes the card. His hand disappears

into the cloak, and he moves back into the corner behind the

stiff, black operating coat.

Treves re-enters.

TREVES:

Come with me.

The E.M. takes up his stick and follows Treves out.

UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - THE LONDON HOSPITAL

We see Treves and Fox alone at a window. They are looking

down on the hospital square Treves had previously crossed

and see the E.M., lit by gaslight and moving to a waiting

cab.

Rate this script:3.0 / 4 votes